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Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe

Victoria Sponge Cake is a tea-time classic named after Queen Victoria, who reportedly used to enjoy the treat at Osborne House, her residence on the Isle of Wight. Sometimes the cake is also called a Victoria Sandwich because the filling of butter cream or whipped cream and strawberry jam is sandwiched between two layers of sponge cake. The recipe is very popular with beginners and children because it is relatively simple and not very time-consuming.

Ingredients:

200g (5/6 cup) soft butter

200g (1 cup) sugar

½ tsp salt

4 eggs

200g (1 3/4 cups) flour

1 tsp baking powder

6 tbsp strawberry jam

1 tsp of milk (if required)

For the filling:

100g (1/2 cup) soft butter

50ml (1/5 cup) whipped cream

200g (1 cup) powdered sugar

Method:

Preheat oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4/ 356°F. Grease two 20 cm diameter springform tins. If only one springform pan is available, both parts can also be baked one after the other.

Beat the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Whisk the eggs and add to the mixture.

Gently fold in the flour, salt and baking powder until you get a tough dough that is hard to tear off the spoon. If the dough is too dry, add a dash of milk, but the dough should not become liquid.

Put the dough into the springform tins and smooth out, before baking for about 30 minutes until the surface is golden brown. As a test, pierce the middle with a toothpick - if the dough sticks to it, the cake needs slightly longer in the oven.

Let cool on a wire rack with the smooth side at the bottom. Mix the butter, whipped cream and powdered sugar into a butter cream.

Spread one of the cooled sponge bases with strawberry jam and then spread the butter cream on top of the second base. Place the two parts on top of each other so that the cream sits on the jam.